About the room
by bymak
Summary: A series of what if's based on that room... .
1. Second attempt

Hello! Sorry, I just got back home a couple of days ago. Today, I was invited to have coffee five towns away from my hometown (it's a trip you make in a little more than an hour), so off I went, music loud… and I heard this song… it's called I promise you… Spanish speaker might find it as Te prometi, from Mijares. And that song screwed up my chances to concentrate in Family ties for long. So, here's chapter one…. It won't be long… 3 chaps or so. (I hope)

Enjoy!

M.

PS: I hope they don't sound incredibly OOC. I just couldn't help the neuron was romantic today.

 **The room, second attempt.**

"Jack?" She called entering his house. She shouldn't be there, she knew. Not after earlier that day and not despite (or because) of what it was said either. She was starting to notice what she was doing was going to create some issues or maybe solve them. On the other hand, she, also, was starting to hope for him to have gone to Minnesota as he had said he would when the downtime was announced. But his door was unlocked…

In a panic attack, she took a step walking backward and hit the noisiest plank of his home, one they all knew where it was and how to avoid it, and that Jack resisted changing because it was a sound alarm in case someone strange went in. She gasped for air, and her eyes widened, she hadn't noticed she was that far in, and the towel wrapped gun pointing Jack, for sure didn't know she was that far in either.

"Carter? What the hell?" He chastised her, lowering the gun on the closest place he could find. And she didn't notice. She was too enthralled by the drops moving slowly down his chest. "Carter?" he asked following her eyes and blushing fiercely as his pupils dilated, at their own accord. He wanted to move, to hide… hell! To time travel! But he didn't.

She wanted all the same. However, she also wanted more…. She wanted to trace the path of that droplet who had just lost itself against the towel on his hips, and she wanted to know what it was like to be close enough to him, to touch him, to taste him…. She wanted to know how it would be like to have his touch imprinted on her skin, just as his eyes were on her soul…

She wanted it all.

"Sam… I swear to God that if you don't stop looking at me like that, I'll be unable to keep it in the room, as you asked," she trembled… the only thing she heard was her name. And she licked her lips and took one step forward, avoiding the noisy plank.

"What if…" she started and he held his breath. "I…" she trailed, not quite sure of what she was doing. Her mind kicked in and told her she was making a fool of herself. "I'm sorry," she said and turned around. But she remained glued to the same place she was. He didn't move either. She scrubbed her face with one hand, "Today was… I don't even know what it was… darn it… why this can't be, Jack? Why we can't be?" she asked and her voice trembled. He walked towards her and embraced her from behind.

"I'm sorry, Sam." He repeated a thousand times, and she turned around in his arms and her tears mixed up with the droplets coming from his hair.

"Shit, I don't even know how kissing you feels like… and we are always in danger, I almost lost you, today…"

"I know," he told her, and she nodded. He understood, after all, he was in the same wagon she was in. And he had confessed that much, earlier they had publicly confessed to all the people in the room, they cared about each other a lot more than they were supposed to. And she knew from before, the reason why they had to confess, was because she saw as much, she saw all the love he felt for her in those deep brown eyes of his just like he did in hers. It was evident too, in their actions over the course of their relationship or lack of thereof. He did things for her, she did things for him, they willingly sacrificed themselves for each other…. All in all, the hints were all there.

"How can we move on? How can we accept this can't be?"

"I don't Sam, but we got to."

"Do you think…" she started and then she shook her head. Blushing. Hiding her face on his chest, her hand was trailing patterns in his torso, and he had to try and keep himself in control.

"What?" he asked breathlessly, and she noticed it was because of her. Her hand stilled, and she moved backward enough to see him.

"One night? And we put it back in the room?" she suggested.

"I don't know, Sam… I don't know if once we cross the line, we could go back to before… I don't even know if right now we can go back to before" he told her, and she nodded, she too felt that way.

"But wouldn't it be worth it? Knowing what it is like? Knowing if this isn't just sexual tension built up from the years of interaction and not what we think it is?"

"And if it is what we think it is?"

"Wouldn't give us a memory to move forward and something to hold onto until we actually can?"

"Shit Sam… don't play with me…"

"I'm not playing Jack… I could never play with you." She bit her lower lip, "Maybe I'm being selfish for once, perhaps I just can't stand the idea of not knowing how we are if I lose you."

"Maybe I want to be selfish too, Sam… Maybe I want that memory, burned so bright in my soul that I can come up to on the darkest nights."

"Are we really doing this?" she asked cautiously.

"Before we do this, Samantha Carter… I promise you, I will love you my whole life. I won't stop fighting to get to the point when you can be mine for real. Unless, I must die for you, in which case, I promise you, I will jump in front of anything it might come in your way. I promise you, whenever you feel lonely, I'll be here to hold you tight, I will hold the hope to be by your side, I will always be by your side… no matter what."

"Jack…"

"You matter to me that much Sam," he told her caressing her cheek.

"I love you, Jack. I will love you my whole life, I will die for you if I have to." She choked… and they kissed.

When the morning sun entered his room, he woke her up with a soft caress on her back… and a kiss. And she smiled lovingly at him.

"It's time?" she asked him, and he nodded.

She dressed and walked away, two hours later, she was entering the isolation room. Her stomach burned with tension, and her heart beat fast. She knew she was about to break no only her heart but his. She introduced the code, and the door opened, he was already inside. With a half-smile he greeted her, and she nodded in acknowledgment. She inhaled deeply as her eyes filled with tears that wouldn't be freed.

He inhaled deeply at what was about to happen, they had a lot of baggage, but what they had done was the one that probably would weigh the most. He couldn't care at the moment because now he knew what it was like to wake up with her in his arms and how she looked not only with her head tousled but how she looked while he walked her over the edge. And he was glad he could have at least that memory for himself, for what I was about to happen… again.

"Colonel…"

"Carter…" she gasped, and he nodded. He knew what about to happen, unlike the first time she asked him that… and it was time.

They exchanged a heartfelt nod.

"Sir… none of this has to leave this room" She finished bravely, biting her lower lip.

"We're okay with that?" he answered, following exactly what had happened the previous day.

"Yes, sir…" she added.

"Okay…then let's go have our days off, whatcha think?" he attempted being himself, and he knew he ultimately failed. But she smiled at him for trying.

They walked out, and they both jumped a little and tried not to sigh when the door closed behind them.

It was sealed.


	2. Third's a charm

Hello! Apparently, if I don't get this one out of the way, I won't be able to continue… so, here it is.

Enjoy!

M.

 **The room … third is a charm(?)**

Today was a year since she stood in that isolation room and heard him say he cared for her more than he should.

One year since she had to sit on that chair and confess how she cared more for him than she should. And in a desperate move, she had asked him to keep it all in the room.

A year since, in a combination of heartbreak, pain, love, confusion and remorse, she walked into his home and found herself in his arms. In his bed.

One year since he promised her he wouldn't leave her, and he didn't. Nothing had changed between them, except that now hope had a background, she could come to that memory and feel what it was like to feel surrounded by a loving Jack

But since that morning, when she asked him to leave it in the room, again. 364 days and 16 hours ago, there wasn't a day in which her mind didn't drift back to the hypothetical room were her memories were stored and she had to fight with herself to stop at the door.

The hypothetical one wasn't as bad as the real one.

There were days when she passed in front of the isolation room, and she had to struggle with herself to not go in and call him in, and ask him to let it all out, she never dared. She couldn't put his career at risk; she couldn't put the world at risk; and she was sure as hell, a third attempt wouldn't be the charmed one.

But then, there were also other days, those weird calm days when she didn't have to keep an eye on her experiments as they ran, and the gate was working properly and SG-1 in the base but not scheduled. In those days, when she would come and sit inside for a couple of minutes (or hours, she wasn't sure), and she allowed herself to open the hypothetical door and let it all play freely in her mind.

The truth was that it didn't matter if the door was there or not, every day that passed she cared more for him than she should.

Today, not only was precisely a year, but it was one of those weird days.

She looked at the heavy door which separated her from the inside of the room, and her heart constricted, and her stomach burned, she wanted it out. She introduced the code, and the doors slid slowly open, and she took a deep breath and immersed herself in her thoughts.

She walked to the inside panel and closed the door, and then, she felt a tear escaping her eyes and turned around to look to the heaviest of the burdens she had given to herself. What she didn't know was that he was in the same situation.

As the door slid open and the closed, he prepared himself to blurt any dumb excuse and leave. But he saw her, and the lone trail of the tear that had abandoned her eye. Something gleamed in his eyes and something shone in his hands.

"Colonel?... I didn't know you were here…I should go," she quickly added, as she tried to bring her walls up to keep herself together, or at least, to keep herself from crumbling in front of him.

"Carter…. I…" She turned to leave, but he was faster. In two big strides, he was in front of her. Making her unable to move just by his sheer presence. By his proximity there.

"Don't go…" he whispered, almost a plea, " you asked me to leave it in this room. Right?"

She swallowed, unable to do nothing more, her brain not functioning correctly, she nodded. Embarrassed, he lowered his head, and she frowned. She was the one who asked, why he would feel embarrassed she thought, but no word was formed.

"I come here, whenever I feel I can't hold it in any longer" he confessed.

"You do?"

"Yes," he affirmed, and he saw the confusion in her eyes.

"I thought you moved on," she confessed and blushed. He snorted.

"From you? I can't."

"Have you tried?" she asked worriedly.

"I won't unless you ask me too." He frowned, "What are you doing here?"

"I…, At," she thought of lying, but he knew her too well. She also knew, if she did, he wouldn't prodInthe end, it was the look in his eyes what made her tell him the truth. "Same as you…"

"Sam…" he whispered

"Jack…" she warned…

"Marry me?" he asked, and she gasped, a second tear rolled down her cheek. And he stopped it with the pad of his thumb. "I don't know how, or when, or if we will be able to do it… but I can't keep this in the room any longer. I know that if you say yes… we will find a way, someday."

"And they think I'm the romantic one…" she chuckled.

"That's not an answer…"

"Yes… I can't keep it in the room for much longer either, Jack…" she replied with a beautiful smile. He wanted to kiss her, to embrace her and she wanted the same. But they still were in the room, and anyone could come inside. So, he settled.

He took her hand and slid a ring on her finger. It was a perfect size, she frowned in confusion, and he shrugged.

"It's been with me for a while," he confessed tapping her finger.

She looked at it; it didn't quite look like one would expect from an engagement ring. It wasn't a big uncomfortable diamond, but nine small ones. One she could easily use day in, day out. One which wouldn't raise too many questions.

"It's beautiful."

"I thought you might like it when I got it done," he smiled. And she smiled back and looked at the ring enamored, it wasn't only a sign of their commitment, but proof that the man in front of her knew her better than anyone.

"I promise Sam… everything I promised you a year ago, still stands."

"I know."

"Good… so, are you ready to take it out of the room?" he questioned softly

"Yes… someday"

"Awesome!" he answered, then he grabbed her hand and tapped her finger, "Sadly, this still has to go…" She smiled and took it off, grabbed his hand and placed it in the middle of his palm, closing his hand with hers.

"Someday…" she said, "Until then, keep it safe?" she asked hopefully.

"Always."

And then, he opened the door.

"Carter…" he said, giving her room to move out, "do take your leave, will you?" and she nodded.

"Have fun in Minnesota, sir," she added. And then they entered the cart, she pressed her lab floor, and he pressed the exchange floor.

And then, two floors up the elevator opened and Daniel frowned at them… "weren't you supposedly on leave?"

"I just came to check something I forgot yesterday with the rush at the Iso room," Sam explained quickly. Daniel frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"I came to kick you both out of your labs before going to the cabin… wanna come?" he offered.

His nerds mumbled a few excuses, and he laughed at them. He looked at them exchanging conversation, and the doors opened once more. The three of them gave a step back to allow Teal'c to join them.

"Commissary anyone?" he asked, and they all nodded.

"It's something the matter, O'Neill," Teal'c asked when they were reaching their table. And he looked around, Sam smiled at him from the dessert area, while grabbing some blue jello. Daniel was filling his coffee mug, and he and Teal'c were sitting at their table. The alien followed his wandering eyes with a glint of happiness in his own.

"Everything is good in the world today."

"Indeed."


	3. The hermetic room

Welcome to that part in which we all somewhat hated Sam (or at least the writers who added Pete)

Enjoy!

M.

 **The hermetic room**

He always knew she was better than him in several ways; she was smarter, fitted, younger, and more capable than him in more ways than he cared to specify. But, the one thing he never thought she would be better at than him was compartmentalizing her feelings. It shouldn't surprise him … he saw her keep a hold of her sentiments with a façade that never wavered. Why he never thought she would be capable of closing the room doors so tight after all they had been through was the real question behind his musings. But here he was, trying not to look like an arse while talking with her fiancé.

Oh yes, he promised her he would always be there for her, that he would die for her and he intended to keep his promise. He never considered that dying for her would mean watching her playing house with someone else, not after the last time they found each other in that room, the now hermetically closed room.

He wasn't sure if he was more pissed at her for closing it for good, or with him, for hanging on to the hope, they would be able to make it after all. Or with the day when he first agreed to keep it in there. And somehow, he always came to that; he shouldn't have accepted it in the first place, not the first time, not the second time and definitively, not the third time.

He nodded at whatever the chatterbox that was her fiancé had told him as if he was paying attention, which he wasn't. He nodded because sighing would catch too much attention, it would be too impolite.

She looked at him talking with Pete, and her heart broke. She noticed how he inhaled in the typical way that pointed to her that he wanted to leave a heavy sigh out, but it didn't come. He only nodded to Pete as her fiancé continued talking, oblivious to the way Jack wasn't listening to him.

Jack… she shook her head at how his name in her mind managed to cause of sorts of things in her body. And yet, she had accepted to date Pete, just to stop hearing her brother telling her she needed a life. Pete was a dork, and he cared for her and, she felt she was settling. And not the right kind of settling either, but then, she saw Jack flirting with Kerry like he used to flirt with her before the room.

They had stopped doing it because it wasn't well seen. They already had admitted caring for each other more than supposed to in front of strangers, and flirting their way around did nothing to quench the rumor mill. They also had admitted loving each other during the one night experience she revisited every time she felt could give up, and every time she fell into bed with Pete; she gulped noticing it for the first time. But she had already accepted the man proposal, even if she still hadn't figured why.

"What the hell am I doing?" she mumbled to herself, apparently loud enough to catch Daniel's attention.

"Sincerely, Sam?" He asked, and she turned to look at him. His eyes talked about the years of friendship they had. The nonjudgmental way he used was what made her nod, "We have absolutely no idea…"

"What? We?" she inquired with her eyebrow raised, the pissed off tone of her voice made him raise his hands to point to her she should calm down.

"Yes, Teal'c and I… WE didn't dare to talk about you with Jack. We can see how painful it is, and we know how you are like an automat with Pete…and, we agreed that your behavior is exactly what is killing him… to be entirely true. It is what is killing us all…"

"Whatever you mean?"

"You are not happy. You are content. Even your dad noticed it in one simple look. The only one who believes you are profoundly happy and utterly in love is Pete. But the man isn't that bright either."

She sighed and passed her hand through her hair. Her ring got stuck in her hair, and she swore. And her eyes filled with tears when she remembered the one Jack presented her, nothing like this one, no big rock who got stuck everywhere. Perfect size that didn't need to get fixed after sitting on her finger for the first time, nor when it didn't fit the second time, and she whimpered.

"What did I do? How can I fix this?"

"I… that's the answer you have to find for yourself," that was when Kerry joined them. She sat quietly beside Jack. And gave him a smile that made her frown, and then gave him a little kiss on the cheek and a light press on his upper arm. And she swallowed hard. "But he's with her…"

"Jesus, Sam… are you really that blind? He is not with her... He needed a friend and he didn't want to come to us, because he felt he would be damaging your image in front of us… She made a move on him, and he told him something about a promise…"

She swore… Daniel blushed. In all the years he had known her, he never figured she knew that many swear words. And he watched her being tortured several times.

Nothing changed that day, but Jack noticed something. It wasn't the way she ignored Pete as she always did. Because really, whenever she had a chance she pushed the guy to talk to anyone, but she and she would run to the other side of wherever they were. And he was always the one with the hands all over the place, dragging her closer, intruding her personal space. But hey! Yes, he knew she was uncomfortable, but she wasn't complaining. It wasn't a blunt sign of abuse or violence towards her, just simply the way to show all of them how Sam was his. So promise or not, he couldn't intervene in the relationship she had created for herself. Could he?

"Where are you, Jack?" Kerry asked with a small smile and followed his line of sight. "Ah, have you talked about that with her?"

"And say what? Carter, you shouldn't allow your fiancé to touch you. I can't," this time the sigh did come out.

"I'm so sorry, Jack. You truly are a good man, and you deserve her. Well, not this version of her that's hurting you. But the one that makes you happy, I saw that man. The side of you only she brings out…"

"There's no such thing."

"Please… I've heard you talk about her incessantly. Trust me, she does. I do hope she does notice this before she screws her life for good with that dork."

"Are you leaving?" he asked because her words sounded like a farewell to his ears.

"Yeah… in two weeks."

He nodded. Because there were no words, he could add. Kerry had offered what Pete offered Sam, and he had rejected it. And because, in two weeks, year three would hit the mark and everything pointed to him that the door was hermetically closed for good.


	4. Broken Seal

I can't believe how fast this wrote itself… :O …

Enjoy!

M.

 **Broken Seal.**

Even the most hermetic environment can be opened. He had read that somewhere along the many, many eclectic readings he did. He might not be Samantha Carter smart, but he reads. An awful lot. And he had read that phrase somewhere, and it said something about needing to be broken from the inside, and he didn't think he would be strong enough to do it.

Yes, that's what his mind provides him today as he slowly punches the code that will allow him to go in.

Year three of keeping it in the room, and here he is again.

He walks in with his head low; wondering if he will continue to do this until the day he dies. He wonders if he would find an excuse next year to fly from DC to Colorado, just because it's year 4 and he can let her go completely out... And that's when he feels it. He feels eyes on him, and his eyes widen, as possibilities are painted in his brain. He was pretty sure nothing was going on in there today, he had checked, but it is the SGC, and one can never be so sure… He raised his face quickly and surveyed the room.

He was right; it was empty.

Almost.

She had been coming here since that day two weeks ago, when she realized how screwed up she was. She broke up with Pete when they got home. He lowered his head and stretched his hand and took the ring; he didn't say a word until she asked if he wasn't saying anything. And he did.

"I knew this would happen, I saw it… I saw you both. And I was trying to make myself believe we would make it. But I knew, you know? Deep down I knew, I could never be him, but thanks for trying"

It was a cold-water splash on her or a hard punch to her gut. Because he was a good guy and she used him, poorly. Truth to be told, she hadn't figured that much until that day, and she felt the guilt and the remorse and all the bad things one gets to feel when you play with someone good to the point of being able to break them.

He closed the door softly behind him. He didn't scream at her; he didn't say anything that would help her feel better with herself. She deserved it though. When she heard his car far away enough that it wouldn't be so obvious she was leaving, she grabbed her purse and walked out to her car, drove to the mountain and went straight to the room and cried.

She didn't do it every free day for the past two weeks, just because they weren't there most of the time, saving the universe from her replicator-self and all. But then, when they returned, every time someone asked her something too personal, too close to home, she only managed to smile and run down (or up) and hide in here. And to add to how badly she was thinking of herself, her father was dying in a room in the infirmary, Daniel was gone again, and Teal'c stood behind with the Jaffa's. And Jack…

And then she saw the date; she didn't even manage to get to her lab without detouring there first. Her eyes were swollen, her nose red, and her hair a mess.

And she was hiding in the darkest corner of the room. The one that allowed her not to be seen from the security glass up top. She curled up as tightly as her height allowed her to. And then, she heard the door sliding softly and tried to clean herself somewhat and come up with some excuse and then, she saw him.

Their eyes locked.

Hope blossomed in his chest, and he didn't even know why.

She stood up on shaky legs, and he saw the plea before she could put it out there. And he imperceptibly nodded and opened his arms for her, and if she weren't just six steps apart, she would have run, probably did, but she couldn't care less.

"I'm sorry," she cried over and over again until her throat wouldn't cooperate anymore.

He dragged her to the corner where she was sitting before; he was very well acquainted with the same spot. He wanted to bolt and never to leave; he wanted to bring her a glass of water and push her away, but he had promised her and he was going to keep it. Not because he was a man of word, but because he was a man in love.

"You are still here," she mumbled against his chest, marveled with that truth.

She separated her head from the place it had found against his chest, where she could hear his heartbeat, enough to watch him. He felt observed and lowered his head a little to make eye contact.

"Always," He smiled self-deprecatingly, because, he felt like an idiot. She was marrying another guy, and here she was crying in his arms, holding onto him as if there was no tomorrow. Maybe there wasn't, even if Goa'ulds and Replicators were gone because she was going to be out of his reach forever now, and that was worse than the former.

"I …" she gulped, "why are you here?" she asked, hopefully… cowardly. She bit her lower lip, if anyone should be doing some explaining, it should be her not him. He huffed.

"Year three… where else should I be?" She whimpered, she did. He frowned self-consciously, "I don't know if next year I will manage tough. Being in DC and all…"

"You are leaving?" a fresh new set of tears appeared in her eyes, a few of them running down her cheek and into his shirt. He gulped and nodded.

"There's not much left here for me," he explained sadly. "Daniel's gone, Teal'c is gone..."

"I am here."

"You haven't been here in a long while, Sam…" he said, while pushing her back into his chest, not able to look at her, "it took you only six months to start piling rocks outside the door. Nine months, three weeks and four days to finishing with it and accept that you were ready to close this room for good and now, you will be closing it forever in a few more months," he whispered against her hair.

"I'm not ready to close this room, Jack," she whispered.

"You can't have it both ways, Sam…"

"I don't want both ways…" she pushed herself forcefully out of his embrace and sat straight enough that he couldn't push her back to his chest to avoid eye contact… "I want you… I only want you…" she huffed, "I need you…. I love you… I was in love you with, even if I was fool enough to try to pretend I could get 'us' with someone else…"

"Sam…"

"No, listen to me, Jack… you've been doing all the sweet talk in the other attempts, and you were the one pouring out love words because I really suck at them and you don't… And I was the one who asked to keep it inside; I'm the one who caused all this... And I've been wrong… I was the wrong one from day one, and I was wrong until year three…. and I don't like to be wrong…."

"So, you want to be right? Is this what this is for you?"

"No!" Horror covered her face. Yes, she was an idiot and hurt him, but she never thought, never considered.

"Then explain."

"I'm trying!"

"Try harder." He barked.

"Jack…"

"Sam…"

"I don't like who I became; I don't like who we became… I love you; you loved me…. I told you, yes, and then everything was wrong… it was like we never happened like we never existed. You stopped talking to me like we used to, and I didn't know how to ask for it. And then, I saw Kerry…"

"She's only a friend!"

"I know that now, but back then… you flirted with her, and it was exactly what we weren't doing anymore, and my brother, my stupid brother. He pushed Pete into my lap."

"And you accepted."

"I did. I won't deny my mistakes, Jack… I can't. You know, two weeks ago, when we had that barbecue.. when everything was wrong in the Universe, but things were somewhat right around here…"

"Right? I had to watch you with Pete, Sam! I had to sit with the guy and be happy for him… I had to pretend I didn't want to twist his fat neck and kill him. I had to restrain myself from going out to you too and kick the guy because he made you flinch when he invaded your personal space… and you are saying it was right?"

"No! I mean… "

"What?"

"Daniel was here, Teal'c was here… and you were there, and I was there, it was … forever… since the last time the four of us were outside together."

"And Pete was there, and Kerry was there… and heck! Half of the people who are close to Hammond was there, your point being?"

"I didn't realize that I was cheating myself with Pete. I … didn't know… It was always you, Jack. You were always in my mind, even if it wasn't you."

"And yet, you are marrying him…"

"No… I'm not. I finished it that day… how could I go and marry someone else, when I've been in love with you from forever now?"

"Sam… I loved you… I still love you… but you hurt me, bad. This won't be that easy…"

"But we can try?" she asked hopefully biting her lower lip.

"Not inside this room, no."

"And if we take it out?"

He considered her answer; he savored the answer. But he didn't let it show.

"Yes…"

She grinned and kissed his cheek.

"Good, then everything is alright with the world again," she told him smiling as he hadn't seen her since that night when they took it out of the room the first time. And then, the base alarms went crazy, and they were jumping out.

He stopped by the threshold.

"Are we ready?" he asked, and she nodded, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, General." She told him, stepping outside and turning to him, "Jack… I love you, but if we don't move, we might not have a chance to save the world."

"Right!" he walked out of the room. And as he pressed the keys to close it, she grasped his hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

The room was closed, and she was still with him, on the other side. He grinned, she grinned, and they let go. The seal was broken, from the inside out. And the world needed them, now they had each other again; everything was going to be okay.


	5. Traditions

Hello…. This took longer, but here we are! Finally

Enjoy!

M.

 **Traditions**

Each culture has its own traditions and sayings about the Wedding Day. I know, Daniel has kindly informed me of at least a hundred of them. It wasn't on my weird list of things to read, nor to Sam's. But we both went through it and compared notes. No, it's not sadomasochism, it's just a reflection of who we are, as people. As friends.

She read the last half; I read the first half… and by exchanging information, we made Daniel happy.

That's why between her and me, we have completed a bunch of them: I buried a bottle of Bourbon exactly one month ago and gave her a serenade a day before yesterday night because if I did it yesterday I would see the bride and I'm not supposed to until today.

She's wearing a sugar cube in her glove, to sweeten our union. Not that it isn't sweet as it is. I'm going to carry her inside to protect her from evil spirits. (I was going to anyway… ) Vala will be pinching her for good luck. Cam is throwing peas for good luck, while Teal'c has rice. She has a veil, and her dress is white, and she will be wearing some red and yellow thing while saying our vows.

I'm the something old, so we are good. We are getting tied together to show our commitment to one another as if it was a necessity. And did I mentioned, we didn't see each other, since yesterday?

And now, as I stand here with my hand tied to hers, I can't help but feel the words I've told her ages ago to come out of my chest when they ask for our vows.

"Before we do this, Samantha Carter…" I say low, and she smiles, "I promise you, I will love you my whole life. I won't stop fighting to get to the point when you can be mine for real. Unless, I must die for you, in which case, I promise you, I will jump in front of anything it might come in your way. I promise you, whenever you feel lonely, I'll be here to hold you tight, and will hold the hope to be by your side, I will always be by your side… no matter what," I can see the tears in her eyes, and I can't feel them burning into mine. Her watery and gaze holds mine without a shade of doubt. "Oh, you are mine for real…" we chuckle as she nods to me, I grin, "I care for you more than I'm supposed to," I whisper to her, and we both hear the oh's and aww's coming from our closest friends, our family.

"Jack…" she whispers, her voice trembles a little and I'm hooked. "I care for you more than I'm supposed to, and I promise you; I'll stand by your side, no matter what comes in the way. I'm here… for good. We are out of the room forever."

I admit it; they probably weren't the most romantic words to be said, not hers nor mine… but they are a symbol of who we are. They are simple but weigh heavily because they are true. Soon we are dancing together, and sharing our meal with our friends in a small party that everybody wanted to be at.

And yes, it was an arduous journey. It will still be, she's stationed in Nevada, and I'm in DC. No marriage should be that apart. But those are the cards we have; those are the cards we play with. The party dwindles down, and as we say the last goodbyes, we smile to each other.

"I'll get the keys," I say, and she smiles brightly, you know the one smile that's for me only.

We walk inside the mountain, and the guards look at us (at our attire probably) with a confused frown. But they let us in; there's nothing that says they shouldn't. And we laugh all the way down, and people look at us with a bright smile and confusion. Happy for us and not quite understanding why we are here.

Hand in hand, we get down to ISO room, with smiles on our faces. Come to think about; maybe my smile is the thing that's freaking out everyone. But hey, I can't help it… I'm Mr. Samantha Carter now.

I know, I'm thoroughly whipped.

But what can I say, there are plenty of things that could be worse than becoming the whipped General I have become in a year. We smile as we walk the last meters away from our destination, and yes, there are thousands of traditions out there, and we had to keep the one of our own. The one that started four years ago, with a confession forced out of us.

The one that kick-started a whole lot of issues and stuff which managed to get us here today.

She pushes the code with sure fingers and a smile, and I feel my heart beat faster. And yes, I'm married to her now… it's just that I can't believe it.

It's not because it's not real or because I doubt about our future or of our relationship… but because it's been a little over eight years since the first time I've set my eyes on her, and she started challenging me… and four years since I had to say out loud, or be brain picked, that I cared for her.

And it's been two since she presented me her boyfriend and ex-fiancé and I thought I had lost her for good. It's been a helluva year, with plenty of recon missions between Nevada and DC, which had fortified the thing we got and screwed it up sometimes too… And yet, even with the minor fights we had and the thousands of stolen moments. Somehow, the door is sliding open, and she is standing here with me, as my wife.

She tugs my hand and brings me back to the here and now, and I smile at her. You know? The one smile that I've reserved just for her, and I see how it warms her heart. Because, after all this time she still wears it on her sleeve. All that she's feeling is still showing in her eyes for all those who dare to read it. Or maybe, just for me, I don't care, as long as she keeps looking me in that way.

"Jack…" she trails, and I realize I've remained frozen in my spot. I smile at her, and her eyes widen because she reads in my eyes what I'm about to do. So, I do it. I throw her over my shoulders, and she laughs happily.

"There… you are all safe of bad spirits now," I say as I safely place her down again.

"I don't think that's the way they did it…"

"It might not be, but I'm reserving the other way for when we get home."

"Home…" she whispers in awe and links our hands, she pushes me towards her, and we embrace and just to make more a fool of myself, (Yes, that is possible), I start to sway us slowly. In the empty silence of the iso room.

"Jack?" she whispers softly in my ear.

"Yeah?"

"I think is time…" she trails. And I frown moving a little apart from her to search her eyes. Her smile blinds me, and I know I'll do everything in my power to keep it up there. Lighting my days and her eyes for as long as I can. "Whatcha think?"

I don't really know what I'm agreeing to, but I nod. And she smiles.

"You have no idea, right?" She giggles, and I shook my head no. "It's time to get it out of this room…. For good"

I look at her and we both look around, it's empty. The contents of that day long gone. There are no beds or any kind of doohickeys laying around. It has been empty for a while now, the only ones who had some sort of bond with it are we, and I smile and sigh.

"Are we okay with it?" I ask, remembering that first year. And she smiles.

"Always…" she says and she tugs my hand, and we walk out…. This time, we leave the door open.


	6. Museum Day

I don't know if I'm happy with this… but here it is.

Enjoy.

M.

 **Museum Day**

Jack chuckled. Former General of the Air Force O'Neill and current General of the Air Force Carter, were both in their civvies walking around the base that saw them meet and fall in love and save millions of innocent lives in the middle. Sam turned around when she heard him chuckle, her eyebrow raised.

"Nothing…" he mumbled as if he was chastised by the eyebrow alone. The second eyebrow rose and met her hairline and he sighed, "I was just thinking…" he mumbled closer to her ear, "that's funny how we always end up in here, no matter what"

"The kids wanted to come," she shrugged.

"Yeah… and today was the perfect day to come, out of the 15 days they chose to be here…" He smiled knowingly.

"Ah hush," she blushed. Yes, she still blushed under his touch and he still touched her just to get that reaction, because it took them too much. Too long…

"They won't get lost if we go down…" he trailed and he saw the twinkle in her eyes before she moved to the less known area of the SGC Museum. The elevators were blocked now, you could only go to certain floors, certain areas…. But they both knew the base by heart.

And with that came the escape routes. They walked down the corridor and looked behind their backs before crossing the limits of the Museum. Then they turned to the second hallway and opened the escape gate.

"Are you sure?" She asked, looking at his knees, then his eyes.

"Good as new," he told her tapping his knees, both had been replaced years ago, and she grinned. "Yours are the ones that aren't new…" he winked, and she giggled. And she moved, and he followed, closing the door behind them.

Nothing but silence and a light panting followed them because no matter how fit they both still were, they weren't kids any longer.

"This is our floor," Sam panted stopping and opened the gate. With a practiced movement, she walked out of the hiding place and into the darkened corridor which leads to what once was the ISO rooms.

"Good thing they never figured how to turn down these," Jack whispered in her ear making her shudder. Then she chuckled.

"Well, these are geothermically powered, to they don't really matter." She confessed.

"What?"

"Yup, it was very well thought. Remember the mountain was supposed to be a refuge from nuclear warfare way back when. Before it was used for interstellar travel and became one of the most dangerous places to work," she winked.

"And I'm the one with the weird historical facts…"

She stopped, and he bumped her and grabbed her tightly to avoid falling. Or that's what his mind told him. She walked to the panel and doubted.

"You think?" she asked and he shrugged.

"They never changed it before…" he commented, and she smiled. She pressed the numbers surely, and the door slid open. Jack joined her beside the panel and kissed her, and she followed his lead, sure she would never falter whenever he was in the picture.

"I guess they've never figured we came down here," he mumbled against her ear, as they patiently waited for the door to stop.

"We all did…" Daniel's voice joined them.

"Is that?" She asked in disbelief.

"Space Monkey…" Jack growled.

"Don't be so happy to see us, Jack," Daniel greeted from the inside. And as they moved into the once dreaded room, they found themselves surrounded by their friends. Teal'c, Ish'ta, Daniel, Vala, Cam, Cassie and their two kids who supposedly were up there are the museum level. They squinted at them.

"How?" Jack asked while Sam embraced each and every one of them happily.

"Do you really think, your yearly escapades to this place were unnoticed?" Vala asked, her deep voice booming inside the empty room.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Please, you were as subtle as Daniel and Vala, with their nighttime escapades," Cam commented.

"What?" Jack asked intrigued.

"He didn't know about them…" Sam sighed.

"You knew?" Jack asked, surprised.

"Of course, I knew… She told me! Everything… even the details I didn't want to know," Sam blushed, remembering some of those, Vala's smirk did nothing to hide exactly what kind of details those were.

"Thanks for not telling…" he added gratefully when he caught Vala's face and Daniel's blush.

Sam looked around, there was food and drinks and a lovely table set in there. "But… how? Why?"

"It's your 25th anniversary, where else should we be?" Daniel smiled.

"How did you get here?" Jack was munching something he found at the table.

"We asked… you know, the little fact that we all worked here at some point, that our pictures are hanging around… does help..."

"You asked?" Jack questioned in awe.

"Yup, why?" Daniel asked, looking from Jack to Sam and their blushing faces. "You guys, how did you get here?"

"The how doesn't matter…" Sam trailed, the blush on her face betrayed her nonchalance.

"Holy Hannah! You came through the escape route?" Cam asked bewildered. "Jack, you are almost 80! What would've happened if you lost your foot and I don't know got stuck in there!"

"Are you calling me old?" Jack squinted at Cam, "you know, there was a time in which people respected me…" he sighed theatrically.

"The important thing is that we came, isn't it?" Sam intervened.

"Good thing we did ask. I don't think the champagne would have survived the escape route…" Jake O'Neill muttered, gaining a glare from his parents.

"Indeed"

"So… how does it feel? To be here after all this time?" Daniel asked, "to see the place that forced you to be here…"

"There's plenty of things I can say, but you know me, I'm a man of few words and to tell you the truth…." Jack started, they hung on every word, "we come every year… its tradition."

"That's it? That's all you are going to say?"

"Watcha think?"

"I don't know… some fancy words of love and devotion perhaps? Of how Sam's the most important thing in your life and you couldn't live without her…."

"That she's the air you breathe and the one who makes you whole…" Vala added, then she cleared her throat, "I read that.. somewhere…"

"Sam… you know all that, right?"

"Yup," she nodded embracing him lovingly. Then I don't need the words, Danny-boy."

"The only thing I need is for him to keep the promise he made me, 29 years ago, the day this room changed everything," Sam smiled.

"What's that?"

"He promised me…. We would be by my side, no matter what… always."  
"Always," he confirmed, giving her a quick kiss in her hair.

"See. I don't really need any more words. That one is enough..."

"Then, we should raise our glasses, and honor such promise," Teal'c added solemnly.

"For another 25 years of a loving marriage…" Daniel said raising his glass.

"For love…" Vala started, and smiled mischievously, "and many, many pleasurable nights."

"For you, both, examples to follow. People I admire," Cam raised his glass

"For you to find forever in each other, the passion for enduring and the wisdom to share it," was Teal'c wish.

"I wish you the happiness of many lifetimes," Ish'ta bowed at them.

"Mom, dad… you are the heroes many want to be, but they don't know you … together…" Jake started, "I do, and you are the example of what I want for myself… I raise my glass to you"

"Jack, Sam… you were there when I needed you the most, even with all the screw ups in the middle, you helped me become who I am… so, I toast for you… for long days, and fulfilling lives…."

"You are voices of your Generations, you are important people, you are Generals of the Air Force… but for me, you will always be mommy and daddy…" Grace started… "So, I will like to toast for this room, I can't begin to explain how grateful I am this exists… otherwise, I wouldn't be here… and you wouldn't be here today…."

"To this room…" Both Jack and Sam added loudly, making all of them chuckle.

"I toast for you, Jack… a man of his word… I love you… always"

"I guess, I'm the last one… what can I add… to you my love, always… for a peaceful future in which trying to keep my promise of holding you, doesn't mean I have to fight half of the Senate to let me go on the ship with you…" He winked at her.

"Always!" the all raised their glasses at once.

"Hey, Sam… look there's cake…"

"You'll never change Jack O'Neill…" she whispered walking away, he grabbed her by the hand and pushed her to him, and dipped her low, "I don't ever want you to change…" she whispered against his lips.

"I love you." He caressed her lips with his words.

"Always…" they whispered together before their lips clashed at last.

Their friends turned around, leaving them behind. They knew them for a long time now, they knew how they loved each other, how they teased each other… and how they belonged to each other. So they continued with their celebration, because Sam and Jack weren't just "the couple", they were a natural law. The room only helped to make that known…

THE END


End file.
